More Than A Man, A Beast

Fri, 08/18/2017 - 09:45 -- ACME

Once upon a time I was the outcast village girl,
I danced through my days with a twirl,
I walked through the market with my nose in a book,
Maybe I'd have noticed the real world if only I'd taken a look.
But I didn't have to until that fateful day,
That my beloved Pa went missing in late may,
Just like in my books I followed his trail,
'Til the woods became thick and the ground, pale,
Through the frozen snow I trod until I fell upon a castle,
Who's dark stones were worn with battles,
Who's thorny rose gardens were a sight to behold,
Each ruby petal and emerald leaf shone like mystic gold,
I walked up the path to ring the bell,
To see if maybe this was where my father had dwelled,
I pressed my pale hand against the dark wooden door,
And it creaked open slowly like something from lore,
Into the eerie darkness I called,
But out of the pitch nothing crawled,
I cried out the name of my father,
But once again, the darkness couldn't be bothered,
Through the dark doorway I walked as afraid as I could be,
Then a light suddenly sprang from beside me,
Upon a table a silver candelebra shone,
Giving the now impressive room a firey glow,
Curiously I examined the intricate metal,
When a cool draft blew by my face a single rose petal,
I looked in the direction from which it came,
To find the window that was surely to blame,
What I saw was neither window nor hole,
But a hard stare equally as empty and cold,
I jumped back at the sudden fright,
Then asked, "Come into the light?"
A deep graveling voice returned,
"Not unless you wish to be burned."
The figure slunk deeper into the dark,
It was my turn to remark,
"Where's my Pa?" I cried,
"In the tallest tower, him you will find."
I set my feet upon the stairs,
Stumbling as I went, not giving a care,
Higher and higher I climbed,
His shout could not have been better timed,
"Pa, I'm here!" answered I as I threw myself against his bars,
"No Belle, Run from this beast! Run far!"
"Father, I will run from no man. You must go!"
"I'm no man, as soon you will know."
The beast's voice called from the steps of stone,
"I will take one life for another, but one I will own."
I looked into my father's eyes and said,
"Father you must go, I won't see you dead."
"But Belle, I won't leave you my child."
The beast opened the door from the shadows and smiled.
I hugged my father as I ran into his cell,
Then I tossed him out as he sobbed, "Belle",
Then the beast emerged from the murk,
It was now obvious why he did lurk,
Rising taller than any man and covered in fur,
His sharp teeth and horns would make a lion stir,
He picked up my Pa and took him away,
I called after him, "Let him be on his way!"
I ran to the window of my new home,
To see my father was running away from this castle of stone.
"Hey!" I yelled into the black,
And a light appeared on a candle rack,
The candelebra then came alive,
Giving excuses for his master's bad vibe,
"Come, come with me dear girl!
I'll show this oyster, you'll be the pearl!"
From the stairs a small clock appeared,
Saying, "Follow me dear."
They took me to a beautiful room,
Where by a talking wardrobe I was groomed,
They then left me by myself,
And I admired the delicasies on the shelf,
I wandered the room, drew back the curtains, and I window I found,
But when I looked down, I saw I was hundreds of feet off the ground,
I sat below the window sill,
Thinking about my father, letting the tears spill,
Here I was sitting here alone and trapped,
In a castle hidden from any map,
My thought were broken by a knock at the door,
"Go away! I don't care what you're here for!"
The door opened and a tea tray rolled in,
I wiped the tears off my face and chin.
The teapot sang in a motherly voice,
"The beast is not all he seems, please make the right choice."
With that a small teacup jumped into my lap,
Clinking against my buttons with a tap,
"Dinner's ready," the little cup sang,
"Please don't be disturbed, he has fangs."
The mother teapot laughed and away we went,
Following  the wafting savory scent,
The magnificent wooden dinner table is what we found,
The beast's gravelly voice invited, "Please, sit down."
We ate in silence until my voice split the air,
"When was the last time you brushed your hair?"
The beast looked up at me with startled, yet lonely eyes,
Then replied solemly "The day that I died."
I watched him sadly as he resumed eating,
Then I stood up and approached, my heart loudly beating,
I passed him and walked to the marble mantle,
And grabbed a deep blue brush and extra candle,
The beast watched warily me as I walked up,
I placed my hand upon his, which was on his cup,
With that gentle gesture I began to brush his fur,
As he relaxed he began to lightly purr,
Before I was done he asked,
"Why in such kindness do I bask?"
"You are not the beast you seem."
With that the so called beast beamed.
He stood slowly and asked my name,
"Belle." I replied, sounding quite lame.
The beast took in his paw my hand,
Upon it, a kiss did land.
This beast was more than a man,
He had a heart filled with sorrow and love, more than most can,
His deep voice filled the room,
"Thank you, Belle." he said with gloom.
He told me then I was free to go,
As long as of this castle, no one would know.
I looked into his dark green gaze,
Finding that they trapped me for a moment in a daze,
But by his look I knew,
The freedom was true.
I backed away towards the door,
And my steps echoed as my shoes tapped the floor,
With tears I stepped into the cold night,
Towards home I took flight.
When I arrived to the town I caled home,
I found that I was mostly alone.
All that was left was the old innkeeper,
"Where is everyone?" I asked as I got deeper,
"The went to find you," answered the man,
"They headed off toward a 'magical land'."
Without hesitiation I ran toward the stables,
I hopped on my horse and rode as fast as I was able.
The castle under attack was what I had to find,
My father, fighting the beast, out of his mind.
"No, father!" I yelled,
Noticing me my father asked, "Belle?"
"Leave him alone! He's not the beast you see!"
"How can he not be?"
My father plunged his sword into the beast,
Then smiled, like he was at a feast.
I fell to my knees at the beast's side,
I held his paw and over his wound I cried,
I loved him.
"Belle? " Came his fading voice,
"I'm here" I said, I'd made my choice.
"I love you." I sobbed,
His paw gently squeezed my hand, then of his life he was robbed.
I sat in the frozen cold night,
Letting the tears spill over, stopping the fight.
My tears filled the beast's bleeding wound and all faded away,
My tears began to glow in a magical way.
The beast inhaled,
And my heart sailed.
"You are alive!" I said in awe.
"You loved me for who I was?" he said with an unclenched jaw.
"You are my beast, much more than any man. "
And he took my hand. 

 

This poem is about: 
Our world

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